Sounds Extension Clears Another Hurdle

A developer working with the Nashville Sounds is one step closer to getting its lease-signing deadline with Metro extended.

Struever Brothers, Eccles & Rouse is building a housing and retail development around the Sounds new downtown stadium where the Thermal Transfer Plant used to be. The firm wants the city to extend the closing deadline on the lease from December 31st to April 15th. They need the extra three and a half months to get environmental assurances about the site from the state.

Yesterday, the Metro Development and Housing Agency unanimously approved the extension and today, the Metro Industrial Development board did the same. Metro Council members take up the issue next Tuesday.

Bobby Davis is the attorney for the Industrial Development Board. He says the board approved the extension request unanimously because it is comfortable with the construction safeguards that Metro has agreed to.

“There will be a health and safety representative on site at all times, there will be a hazmat contractor, that’s an environmental contractor on site at all times. Those are to monitor any problems that could happen during the grading process and that’s when these environmental issues typically arise.”

Davis says the board also approved an amendment that increases the percentage of minority contractors hired for the development from 15 to 20-percent. That proposal must also get approval from Metro Council.